I'm exploring starting up a wee sausage making business - focus will be on pretty standard bangers initially then perhaps experimenting with curing and air drying different meats...

I have access to a commercial kitchen. We are aiming to process 75kg of meat in the first month of production.

That's a tiny amount for a commercial operation.

I'm meeting an environmental health officer tomorrow with a few questions - are there any commercial producers in the UK who could help shed some light?

Can I comply with food hygiene making sausages from meat that has been frozen?

Can sausages that I produce be frozen to be thawed out and sold at a later date - or must they be made to sell?

The EHO will advise about using frozen meat and refreezing it. But, why would you want to?

Where is the best supplier for the kind of equipment I would be needing to do an operation of this size justice?

As I said, that depends on the size of the operation. 75kg a month only needs small domestic appliances. What sort of production do you expect in month 2 - 12? That should define your initial purchases.

Completely new to all this - please humour me if I'm missing some important points. Thank you in advance for any replies.

I wish you luck. I'd be interested to read more, because anyone that thinks that 75kg is a business proposition has an interesting story to tell.

I fully agree with Wheels. The Nett profit of 75 kg of sausages wouldn't pay for the electricity used. Do your sums first, make a business plan!!!!!, find out local fees and charges and see an accountant before you actually spend substantial amounts money on equipment. Can you exist without making money for the first 12 months or longer. You need to manufacture products that suits a niche market so the big boys can't run you out of town. I've done it and succeeded but not in the meat business.I wish you well.Jan.

The plan now is to approach the local abattoir as it turns out they have all the kit for making and packaging sausages. Freeing us up to focus to refine the recipe and market the sausage...

So aye - the figures I've been working with so far have been largely guesswork. Once I hear back from the abattoir I'll have a far better picture of how things work. Aye, 75kg would only make a few hundred packs eh! I think we'll be looking more towards a thousand packs per month once we've smoothed things out.

If anyone out there has dealt with an abattoir on this basis before - it would be good to hear from you!

Some abattoirs offer this service. My local ones all have butchers shops attached. But, don't forget that you'll be reducing your margins by paying them to do it.

If you go down this route, be specific and put everything in writing. Butchers/abattoirs can tend to have fixed views as to what should be done and will deviate from your plan to follow theirs! I would provide t with the ready mixed dry ingredients and specify exactly what else they should use. The cuts of meat, fat content, casing type and size etc.

I wish you good luck in your ventre. Please keep us posted as to how it works out.